MARYVILLE, Mo. – The No. 49-ranked Northwest Missouri State University women's tennis team defended its home court with a 6-1 dual victory Friday afternoon over the Emporia State Hornets.
 
The Bearcats moved their dual win streak to five in a row and improved to 6-1 in MIAA dual play. The Hornets dipped to 3-4 in MIAA dual action. Northwest is 11-7 overall. It is the 11th straight dual win for Northwest over ESU. The Bearcats own a 35-5 mark all-time against the Hornets.
 
Northwest gained an advantage early in the dual by securing victories at No. 1 and No. 2 doubles. Marielena Muench and Camilla Franzin paired up to gain a 6-4 win at No. 1 doubles. Miru Nonaka and Alva Norberg staved off the Hornet pairing of Lilie Bizouerne and Perla Conde in a thrilling 7-6 (8-6) tiebreaker triumph. It is the sixth straight victory for Nonaka and Norberg at No. 2 doubles and the duo is 7-1 this season.
 
No. 46-ranked Norberg notched her sixth consecutive singles victory with a 6-3, 6-2 win over ESU's Yuliya Klimova at No. 2 singles. Norberg is 16-5 on the year and 14-4 in dual singles play. Norberg is also 6-1 in MIAA dual action.
 
No. 61-ranked Muench worked over ESU's Giovanna Ferreira at No. 1 singles. Muench notched a 6-1 first-set win before having to rally in the second-set tiebreaker for an 8-6 victory. Ferreira held a 5-3 lead in the tiebreaker before Muench scored five of the next six points to gain the win. Muench moved her season mark to 9-8 at No. 1 singles.
 
Senior Carolina Oliveira posted a three-set win at No. 4 singles to clinch the team win for the Bearcats. Oliveira topped ESU's Bizouerne by the count of 3-6, 6-3, 6-0. Oliveira, who missed a majority of the season with an injury, is 3-3 on the year.
 
Junior Miru Nonaka collected a 7-5, 6-2 win at No. 5 singles over ESU's Anastasia Pesic. Nonaka is 12-6 overall and 11-5 in dual play. Nonaka is 5-2 in MIAA singles action.
 
Freshman Camilla Franzin secured her ninth win of the season with a three-set victory at No. 6 singles over ESU's Paige Stranghoner. Franzin won the first set, 6-3, but Stranghoner took the second, 6-2. Franzin was able to gain the victory with a super-tiebreaker triumph.
 
The Bearcats will return to action 1:30 p.m. Saturday against the No. 9-ranked Washburn Ichabods.